Category: Vision

Have you ever wondered why positive thinking doesn’t always seem to work? Do you understand the difference between “positive thinking” and “thinking positively?”

First let me point out the first question includes “doesn’t seem to work,” not “doesn’t work.” Positive thinking works exactly the same way as prayer, even the type of affirmative prayer developed by Religious Science founder, Ernest Holmes. Our answers can only be reached at our level of acceptance.

Focusing our attention on one particular action has become increasingly difficult in our first world society. Multitasking – which I define as attempting to do a lot of stuff at the same time in a half-assed way leading to more frustration – has become the norm. It’s totally impossible to be focused on one thing and be thinking about another. Face a grizzly bear running toward you with snot and spit oozing out of its face and tell me you’re really concerned about painting the bedroom or how your lover forgot your birthday.

The basic universal law governing the demonstrations in our life that we desire is the Law of Cause and Effect. The answer to our prayer can only be realized if what we initiate in prayer is what we actually want. This leads us to the difference between positive thinking and thinking positively.

Both positive thinking and thinking positively are effective, though the latter will garner us far better results. The former is like changing the oil in your car; that latter like a major tune-up. Why?

Because positive thinking is light years away from the way we have been taught to think, which often ends up being “prepare for the worst and hope for the best.” Holmes taught us that hope is better than despair, but it pales in comparison to positively knowing the Truth in any situation.

We must completely and without exception laser-focus our attention on our desire or goal. If we don’t it’s the same thing as expecting the recitation of affirmations alone to create what we want without any further effort on our part.

Realizing our desires is an inside job. How many times have you heard someone say after a prayer, “Well, I hope that happens, but I don’t see how it can.” That’s exercising what I call the “Eeyore Consciousness,” the gloomy expectations of the little donkey from the Winnie the Pooh stories whose tail keeps falling off.

This is where thinking positively excels. The person who consistently thinks positively, meaning truly believing in the prayer or affirmation, and rejects any thought of that desire not being made manifest will find her or his answer.

Focusing our attention is mandatory for our hopes, dreams, goal and vision to become a reality. Is that easy? No. The majority of people don’t want to put in the effort, which explains why we don’t have more of what we want in our lives. Are you committed 100 percent to what you want? Are you willing to focus your attention on the attainment of that desired outcome? Do so and you’ll find your life unfolding in a manner you’ve never experienced up until now.

Do you use affirmations? Or, do you understand what they are and how they work?

The use of affirmations – short, meaningful, positive statements to focus our minds on a goal or desire – is taught widely. Louise Hay, the well-known New Thought minister and healing-focus writer, made affirmations an everyday word in 1984 when she released her classic book, “You Can Heal Your Life.”

But do affirmations really work? Many people in my field would probably say, “YES!” with great enthusiasm. I have a one-word answer as well.

“Maybe.”

Will our car get us to the store? Maybe, if we take it out of the garage and the tank has gas in it. Will the bank honor the debit card we use when we get there? Probably, as long as we have money in our account.

Affirmations, like many other things in our lives, offer a conditional guarantee. They work, but only if we use them the right way.

Affirmative statements they are not the genie in the bottle that magically manifests our desire. Rather, they are a mechanical way to reprogram our thinking away from the mind goblins in our head who tell us we can’t have what we want. Affirmations provide the mental nutrients for the fertile soil in our minds into which we plant a seed that, if nurtured regularly, will grow into the desire we seek.

Above all else, we must believe that what we say is possible. Ernest Holmes wrote, “I believe that every affirmation I make will immediately take effect in my life. I fill every statement with joy; therefore, I expect joyful happenings.”

This is the key to using affirmations in our life. We can use them for our health, relationships, career/full self-express and prosperity. There is really no limit to the way we can wise use this spiritual tool.

Do you have an ongoing issue that you’d like to move through and beyond? Consider using powerful and focused affirmative statements that mean something to you.* Align your thoughts with your desires. Then allow Spirit to move through you for your highest and greatest good.